Joy Umukoro
Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) General Manager, Ayodele Antonio, has warned that some of the chemicals used in fumigation and pest control in Nigeria has been banned worldwide at Stockholm Convention.
This is coming against the backdrop of pesticides being used as suicide agents and being banned by government.
LASEPA boss made the remark, yesterday, at the Global Pest Day with the theme, “Recognising the importance of pest management in protecting public health and the environment” organised by Rotimax Integrated Services Limited, at Adeyemi Bero Auditorium Hall, Alausa, Ikeja.
“Among the duties of the agency is the regulation and control of chemicals used in fumigation and pest control. Some of these chemicals have been found to be hazardous in nature, they are listed among the persistent organic pollutants if they remain in the environment long after their use. They have been identified as causes of cancer and other debilitating illnesses and sometimes death.
“Good sanitation practices and environmental hygiene has been proven to be effective in the management and control of pest in order to protect people from health hazards and structures that we live and work in, safe from damage,” He said:
The convener and Managing Director of Rotimax, Tolu Caleb, said the objective of the seminar was not limited to the sensitisation of fumigators, industrial facilities, hotels, fast food outlets, shopping malls and the public on integrated pest control and best fumigation practices.
He said there is a law in Lagos State that every public facility must be fumigated every three months. Ministry of Environment has a right to lock up any facility to faile to comply.
“We decided to partner them to have a meeting with the major stakeholders to deal with the operators and their clients. We are here to educate the public that having pest around you can constitute not just nuisance but also health risk factors,” he said.
